May 26-27 2017 / 2 Sivan 5777

Parsha Bemidbar

Torah Reading - Page 726 Haftorah - Page 1180

May 30 - June 1, 2017 6 –7 Sivan 5777

Shavuot

1st Day of Shavuot Torah Reading - Page 400 - Exo 19:1-20:23

Maftir - 892 - Num 28:26-31 Haftorah - Page 1228 2nd Day of Shavuot

Torah Reading - Page 1018 - Deut 15:19-16:17 Maftir - 892 - Num 28:26-31

Haftorah - Page 1229

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In the Week Ahead

Saturday, May 27 - 46th Omer Shacharit ................................................................................................. 9:00 a.m. Insights into the Weekly Torah Reading ................................... 7:25 p.m. Mincha/Seudah Shlishit ................................................................... 8:10 p.m. Havdalah ................................................................................................. 9:37 p.m.

Sunday, May 28- 47th Omer Shacharit ................................................................................................ 9:00 a.m. Bagels & Beit Midrash ....................................................................... 9:45 a.m.

Monday, May 29 - Memorial Day - 48th Omer Shacharit ................................................................................................ 9:00 a.m.

Tuesday, May 30 - Erev Shavuot - 49th Omer Shacharit ................................................................................................. 7:00 a.m. Mincha/ Ma’ariv ................................................................................... 7:30 p.m.

Shavuot Night of Learning begins at 8pm with a light meal of macaroni & cheese, rolls, and fresh veggies. Learning sessions

continue through midnight with presentations by over 25 community leaders and lay volunteers for adults & youth

Candle Lighting ..................................................................................... 8:31 p.m. Wednesday, May 31 - Shavuot - 1st Day

Dairy desserts ..................................................................................... 12:00 a.m. Shacharit ................................................................................................. 9:00 a.m. Dairy Kiddush ..................................................................................... 11:30 a.m. Mincha/ Ma’ariv ................................................................................... 7:30 p.m. Earliest Candle Lighting .................................................................... 9:32 p.m.

Thursday, June 1 - Shavuot Yizkor- 2nd Day Shacharit ................................................................................................ 9:00 a.m. Yizkor...................................................................................................... 10:30 a.m. Shavuot Lunch .................................................................................... 11:30 a.m. Mincha/Ma’ariv .................................................................................... 8:30 p.m. Havdalah ................................................................................................. 9:41 p.m.

Friday, June 2 Shacharit ................................................................................................ 7:00 a.m. Friday Learning Series with Rabbi Shlomo @ JCC............... 11:15 a.m. Mincha/Ma’ariv & Kabbalat Shabbat .......................................... 7:30 p.m. Candle Lighting ..................................................................................... 8:34 p.m.

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...to Dani Shrago, Jordana Kurtzman, and other volunteers for preparing kiddush and Seudah Shlishit. ...to everyone for cleaning up after themselves and their family members.

...to Jordana Kurtzman and Alex Grossman for their work in repairing the ark cover in the Beit Midrash. ...to Lynne & Errol Saltzman for sponsoring this sheet on the 2nd day of Shavuot in honor of the yahrzeit of Lynne’s father, Martin Weber. ...to those who supported Beth Israel through Omaha Gives! Over $1,100 in donations were received. Todah Rabah!

...to Laura and Rabbi Ari on the birth of a daughter, Rina, on May 21. …to Brigitte Mimran and Alan Kohll on the birth of a son on May 20.

…to Dr. Howard Gendleman for being selected Humanitarian of the Year for the Jewish Federation of Omaha. …to Sharon Kirshenbaum for being selected to receive the Phil and Terri Schrager Spirit of the Federation Award from the Jewish Federation of Omaha. …to Jim Polack for being recognized of Volunteer of the Year for Jewish Family Service. ...to Julee Katzman on her selection as the recipient of the Jody and Neal (Buzz) Malashock Award for Professional Excellence. ...to Friedel Jewish Academy graduates Jack Cohen, Noah Shrago, and Sophia Mavropolous and to high school graduates David Atri, Sam Kricsfeld, and Josh Polack.

Mazel Tov to Those Celebrating This Week

Birthdays Janet Kohll May 27 Daniel Wolk May 27 Eva Cohen May 27 Julee Katzman May 29

Anniversaries Aviva Segall & Patrick McNamara May 30

Celebrating a special simcha next month? Be a part of the June Simcha Kiddush on June 17th! Cost

is just $25. Call the office or speak to Bette Kozlen to be a sponsor.

Contact the synagogue office to sign up.

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CELEBRATE SHAVUOT AT BETH ISRAEL! Be a part of the learning, energy, excitement, and of course, delicious dairy foods, during Beth Israel’s celebration of Shavuot

Erev Shavuot - Tuesday, May 30 Begins at 7:30pm with Mincha/Maariv

followed by a light dairy meal at 8pm. Then it’s non-stop learning until midnight with community leaders and

lay volunteers giving presentations. Speakers will include: Yaakov Langer - Cheesecake and Paradise; Rabbi Ari Dembitzer - Why was the Torah Forced Upon Us?; Leon Shrago - Love, Fear, Faith, and Wisdom - The Progressive and the Reactionary in Judaism; Donald Gerber - The Importance and the Origins of Rosh Chodesh Rabbi Mendel Katzman; Dr. Howard Gendelman - Integrity: The Jewish Perspective; Gitta Langer - The Power of a Jewish Woman; David Atri - Validity and Importance of the Oral Torah; Rabbi Steven Abraham - To Whom was the Torah Given? The Universality of Torah; Lynne Saltzman - The Story of Ruth and Why We Read it on Shavuot; Esther Schuller; Rabbi Dena Berezan - Who is a Teacher?; Shirley Goodman; Ben Taplin - Overcoming Adversity Through Spirituality; Marty Shukert; Rabbi Shalom Rich; Lauren Tam; Gender Roles in the Torah; Matt Beneda; Ben Brodkey - Music and Spirituality at Shavuot; Brad Berman; Rabbi Shlomo Abramovich - Who Are We , Really?

Following dairy desserts at midnight, one-on-one learning will continue through the night

Shavuot - 1st Day - Wednesday, May 31

Shacharit at 9am Dairy kiddush 11:30am

Earliest candle lighting 9:32pm

Shavuot - 2nd Day - Thursday, June 1 Shacharit 9am

Yizkor 10:30am Shavuot lunch 11:30am

Lasagna, pasta primavera, tossed salad, garlic bread, dairy desserts. Cost $12 for adults, $6 children ages 3-12; free for children under 3.

Space still available - call the office on Tuesday morning

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Beth Israel’s Visiting Scholar Happenings

Hebrew - Level II with Rabbi Shlomo Mondays, through June 5, 7:30pm

The focus will on reading the siddur together plus the general improving of Hebrew skills. The class is open anyone who wishes

to join. Prior participation not required nor is attendance each week.

Friday Learning Series Final session next Friday June 2, 11:15am, Kripke Library

This three-week series will focus on the 1948 War of Independence, the Six-Day War in 1967 and 1973 Yom Kippur War

Eye on Israel

Monday, June 5, 12pm, Kripke Library Eye on Israel meets the 2nd Monday of each month

“The Wedding Plan” Showings currently scheduled June 2 - June 8 at Film Streams

Ultra-Orthodox film director, Rama Burshtein, who directed “Fill the Void” has created a prickly, delicate-ly layered film that has the tangled ambiguity of a Talmudic lesson. Similar to “Fill the Void”, this new film manages to be respectful of traditions while at the same time feeling modern, even progressive. At 32, Michal is finally looking forward to the comfort and security of marriage, when she is blindsided by her fiance ’s decision to call off the wedding with only a month’s notice. Unwilling to return to lonely single life, Michal decides to put her trust in fate and continue with her wedding plans, believing Mr. Right will appear by her chosen date. Confident she will find a match made in heaven, she books a venue, sends out invitations and buys a wedding dress, as her skeptical mother and sister look on with trepidation. During Michal’s month-long search for a spouse, she enlists the help of two different matchmakers, goes on a series of disastrous blind dates and finds an unexpected connection with a charming but utterly un-suitable pop star — all while dismissing pleas by concerned friends and family members that she reconsider her risky plan. As the day of the ceremony grows closer and no suitor appears, Michal puts every-thing on the line to find happiness.

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YOUTH EDUCATION CLASS SCHEDULE Shabbat - 10:15-11am - times may vary slightly Boys, ages 11 and older Mr. Shrago Social Hall Scholar’s Answer Prep Rabbi Ari Shul Boys & Girls, ages 6-11 Reb Donald Beit Midrash (Chapel) 10:30am Reading & Prayer Class 10:45-11:10am Parsha Class Boys & Girls, ages 6 & under Dr. Gendelman Social Hall Shabbat - 12-12:30pm Teen Class Rabbi Ari Rabbi’s Office Anim Zemirot Class Reb Donald Beit Midrash (Chapel)

Baby-sitting is provided for ages 6 months through 6 years, 10am through the end of services. For their safety, children are not allowed to leave the room without a parent or sibling

over the age of 12

ADULT EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES Check the schedule on Page 2 for the various learning opportunities for adults each week. Contact Rabbi Shlomo for one-on-one or small group leaning opportunities.

Beth Israel Annual Meeting Highlights The annual meeting was held last Sunday, May 21. Toba Cohen-Dunning gave a brief report on the state of the synagogue, expressing her thanks to the board

members for their hard work and also commending the many volunteers who help throughout the year. Honored as the 2017 Volunteers of the Year were Bette Kozlen and Helene Shrago for their amazing work on the annual Sisterhood Donor event. Elected to serve on the Board of Commissioners in the coming year were Toba Cohen-Dunning, President; Bruce Goldberg, Financial - Vice President; Julee Katzman, Jeff Kirshenbaum, Treasurer; Secretary; Bruce Potash, Membership Vice President; Jeff Stein, Administrative Vice President; Joel Alperson, Debbie Kricsfeld, Lynne Saltzman, Helene Shrago, Michael Shrago, Andreea Shnayder, Lauren Tam, Sherry Taxman, Harry Weiner. Janet Kohll has also been appointed to the board.

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Source: www.torah.org Rabbi Tendler

Note: The Shabbos Torah Reading is divided into 7 sections. Each section is called an Aliya [literally: Go up] since for each Aliya, one person “goes up” to make a bracha [blessing] on the Torah Reading

____________________________________________________________ 1st & 2nd Aliyot: Moshe counts all males over the age of 20, and registers them according to their paternal ancestry. The total, not including Shayvet Layvie, was 603,550. The total number of Jews was around 3 million. 3rd Aliya: The tribes are each assigned their position within the camp, and in the order of the traveling. 4th Aliya: In preparation for separating the tribe of Layvie, the Torah establishes Aharon’s genealogy. Although the Kohanim were also from the Tribe of Layvie, they were counted by themselves. 5th Aliya: Moshe counts the Leviyim according to their three basic families: Gershon, Kehas, and Mirarri. Their individual responsibilities in transporting the Mishkan is stated, and their total was 22,000. 6th Aliya: Being that the Leviyim were to be in direct exchange for the first born, Moshe counts all the first born in the rest of the nation. Their total was 22,273. The extra 273 first born are instructed to redeem themselves from Aharon the Kohain for 5 silver shekels. 7th Aliya: The Parsha concludes with detailed instructions for the family of Kahas. Their primary responsibility was to transport the vessels of the Mishkan. Only Aharon and his sons were allowed to cover the vessels in preparation for transport. Once covered, the family of Kahas did the actual carrying.

Parsha Questions

1. According to the beginning of the Parasha, who was to be counted and from what age?

2. From what age were the Levites counted?

3. What special duty was given to the Levites?

4. The Levites were selected rather than whom to serve Hashem? 5. What was the reason for that change?

WELCOME TO BETH ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE We are delighted to welcome you to Beth Israel Synagogue. A passage from Deuteronomy 30:11-14 inspired the art work in the sanctuary. “For this commandment that I command you today - it is not hidden from you and it is not distant. It is not in heaven, [for you] to say, ‘Who can go to the heaven and take it for us so that we can listen to it and perform it? Nor is it across the seas, [for you] to say, ‘Who can cross to the other side of the sea for us and take it for us, so that we can listen to it and perform it?’ Rather, the matter is very near to you - in your mouth and your heart - to perform it.” Mitzvot are obtainable. The focal point of the sanctuary is the Menorah Window, which

frames the Ark and is shaped in the form of the six branched candelabrum. To the right, brilliantly colored window has forms that reflect the heavens, while the left side depicts the seas.

The message is completed in a frieze, the horizontal painting on wood mounted on the wall. The background of the frieze symbolically and abstractly represents the relationship between G-d and the people of Israel through the Covenant. The perochet, or curtain over the Ark, completes the symbolic composition, with an expression that intertwines the Torah and the letter Aleph, the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, of the Ten Commandments, and of G-d’s name in Hebrew.

As is traditional, the sanctuary has 12 windows, representing the 12 tribes of Israel. These windows contain the name of each tribe in flowing, organic letters. The windows are located above the continued frieze, which includes two central texts of the revelation at Sinai - “If you will keep my Covenant, you shall be precious to me,” and “You shall be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” This composition expresses the unity of Israel as the people stood together at Sinai and accepted the Torah.

Beth Israel Synagogue strives to perpetuate the legacy of Torah Judaism in the modern world. Beth Israel welcomes all persons of the Jewish faith

to join and accepts the diversity of practice and thought among its members. Rabbi Ari Dembitzer, Senior Rabbi Toba Cohen-Dunning, President

Mary Sue Grossman, Executive Director Rabbi Shlomo Abramovich, Visiting Scholar

Leo Fettman, Cantor Emeritus 12604 Pacific Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68154 (402) 556-6288 / www.orthodoxomaha.org